Fantasy Football Analysis: Who to start, who to sit - Week 6

Tim Twentyman offers his advice to fantasy football owners. Among some of the top picks this week: start Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger, sit Patroits' RB Stevan Ridley.

LIONS' FIVE

Matthew Stafford, QB, SIT: If I had another option at quarterback I might think about sitting Stafford this week. I know he’s due for a big game, but he’s on the road against a team with a terrific defense (especially at cornerback) that has given up an average of just 13.8 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in five games this season.

Jason Hanson, K, START: Hanson has made 11 of 12 field goal attempts as the Lions have struggled to put the ball in the end zone. The Eagles rank eighth in total defense and 10th in points, as teams have to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, SIT: The Eagles have played well against tight ends this year, holding Dennis Pitta, Martellus Bennett and Heath Miller to a combined 10 points. They haven’t given up more than eight points to opposing tight ends in any week.

Joique Bell, RB, START: Bell might be a good flex option this week against the Eagles. He has at least six fantasy points in every game this season and is always an option around the goal line.

Calvin Johnson, WR, START: It’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles decide to cover Johnson. If they play a lot of the man concepts they did against the Cardinals a couple weeks ago, they could be in trouble. In that game, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald had nine catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.

START

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers: Big Ben put up 15 fantasy points in a win against the Eagles last week, but could be in line for a big week against a Titans defense who has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season with 12 touchdown passes.

Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs: It’s a little bit of a risk because the Chiefs could start Brady Quinn at quarterback this week and Bowe has struggled a bit in games played without starter Matt Cassell (concussion). But just from a fantasy perspective, the Buccaneers have allowed the passing yards per game in the NFL this year and the third-most fantasy points.

Willis McGahee, RB, Broncos: He has at least 10 fantasy points in three of his last four games and squares off against a Chargers team that has allowed two 100-yard, one-touchdown performances in it’s last three games.

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles: Maclin appears to be getting healthy and the Eagles are a dangerous offense when he’s in the lineup. Teams have been targeting Lions rookie cornerback Bill Bentley recently and the Eagles are likely to take a few shots down field, too. Will they hit on any?

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: Ryan has become a must start every week with the numbers he’s been putting up, but it’s especially the case this week. Ryan faces a Raiders team that’s given up the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and nine passing scores.

SIT

Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys: Coming off a brutal loss to the Bears in which Romo through five interceptions, he now faces a Ravens defense that’s allowed just two passing touchdowns all season and none the last two weeks. They’re also allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Giants: There should be a permanent feature built into this column that reads, "Any RB facing the 49ers." This week, it’s Bradshaw. No back has scored a touchdown on the 49ers yet this season and its no surprise they’ve allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots: Ridley ranks third among all running backs in fantasy points (75), but doesn’t have a great matchup this week against a Seahawks team that averages 8.4 points to fantasy running backs per week, which is nearly half the NFL average.

Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers: Finley is another one of those early-to-mid-round picks in most fantasy leagues who hasn’t lived up to expectations. Finley ranks 18th among all tight ends in points and is now dealing with a shoulder injury that will keep him off the practice field this week, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Robert Griffin III, QB, Redskins: The Vikings defense has shut down quarterbacks Alex Smith, Matthew Stafford and Matt Hasselbeck each of the last three weeks. It’s tough to bench RG3, but if you have another option, this could be the week with him coming of a concussion.

SLEEPERS

Kevin Kolb, QB, Cardinals: He’s probably available as a free agent in your league right now and if you need a quarterback this week he might be a good option. There’s no team in football that’s allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than the Bills this season.

Vick Ballard, RB, Colts: Who? He’s only the starting running back for the Colts this week against a Jets defense that’s given up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing runners.

Billy Powell, RB, Cardinals: It could be Powell’s turn to try and give the Cardinals rushing attack a boost. La’Rod Stephens-Howling will also get some carries, but he’s coming off a hip injury. Powell has a lot of upside and a great matchup against a Bills defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to running backs.

Andrew Hawkins, WR, Browns: I’ve had Hawkins here before and it didn’t work out, but I’m going to the well one more time. The Browns get Joe Haden back this week and he’s likely to draw a lot of A.J. Green. Hawkins could see a lot of looks on the other side of the field this week.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals: Green-Ellis hasn’t been getting into the end zone as much as fantasy owners were hoping for (just twice so far), but that could change this week against the Browns defense that ranks 26th against the run.